She followed up with me again on Monday. Uh we have situations so vital to student success and student safety. Uh in this particular case, the family is so thankful that our cal responded so quickly that we were able to provide the support that it's maybe a little dramatic to say life-changing and life-saving, but this kid was on the verge of a collapse. And the supports we provided, they're so thankful that we were able to give the support that we did in a timely manner. And this is just one school of 258. And if we're going to save students lives, I think the CAS position is something that's desperately needed because we want to do what's best, not just for our students education, but for their safety as well. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you. Uh Jennifer Ichyama, >> welcome. >> Hi. Good afternoon.
Afternoon. >> Um my name is Jennifer Ichyama. I'm a principal at Aliani Elementary. Um I stand by my written testimony in strong opposition of Senate Bill 3334. um and instead engage principles, CAS, educators, and community stakeholders in a thoughtful dialogue to strengthen not dismantle effective leadership structures within the Hawaii um Department of Education. Thank you. Thank you, >> Bruce uh Nagua, followed by Sonia Samson Solonus. Aloha. >> Aloha. Aloha. Um, Chair Kim, Vice Chair Kedani, members of the committee. My name is Bruce Nagua and I strongly oppose Senate Bill 3334. You know, as a former deputy superintendent for the LER district, I understand the complexities of dealing with six different complex areas um at over 45 schools. In a current situation with the CASES, I think they have a better understanding, a better feel for each individual school. They have each school has unique needs and when you spread across the district, it's hard to really respond to everyone's unique needs.
And so I really strongly oppose um the elimination of the CAS position. I'm also opposed to allowing the SEC to have 50% say in the selection and evaluation of the principles. Again, my fear is that one or two individuals um may have certain agendas and I don't think that's um a good way to select principles. So, I strongly oppose Senate Bill 3334. Thank you. >> Thank you, Sonia Samsonus. Good afternoon, chair, vice chair, and members of the committee. My name is Sonia Samson. I'm the proud principal of Kovala Elementary School, and I respectfully stand in opposition of Senate Bill 3334. These proposed changes would weaken the structure that supports school effectiveness and student success. Our CASES, they serve as a critical bridge between schools and the department of education. They help us and provide instructional leadership, operational oversight, compliance, guidance and direct support to us the principles and eliminating CAS positions would remove an essential layer of system coherence and the shift significant responsibility to principles without increasing authority or capacity.
Strong schools require lines of accountability, align leaderships and professional expertise and personnel process. SP 3334 risks destabilizing those structures at a time when schools need stability and coherence. For these reasons, I respectfully urge you to oppose 3334. Thank you, Lero District Education Specialists. Nobody here for that. Okay, those are all that actually signed up. I will ask if there's anyone watching to testify, but we actually had members for your information. Um 11 in support, 131 opposed and one comment. So with that, is there anyone here in this room wishing to testify on this measure? Please come forward, identify yourself. >> Aloha. >> Good to see you, >> chair and members. My name is John Hamilton, proud principal at Khali Elementary. On behalf of the Ferington Kaiser Colani complex, we stand proud on our written testimony in opposition of SB 3334. >> Okay. Anyone else? Please come forward.
Identify yourself. >> Hello, my name is Christopher Bonella, principal of Holamo Elementary School in the Campbell Capo Complex area. As the principal of Holo Holmo Elementary School, I submit this testimony to express my firm opposition to SB 33334. Beyond the logistical and admin administrative concerns, I speak to you from the moral imperative of school leadership, the duty to protect equitable access to education and to ensure that school governance is rooted in professional integrity void of any hidden agendas and past unresolved conflicts. School leadership does not exist in a vacuum. The CAS serves as more than a more than a supervisor. They are a vital connective tissue that prevents our schools from becoming isolated into silos. For Holamua, this role is a matter of equity. As the sole remaining multi-track school in the DOE, Holua has many multiaceted intricacies. The CAS provides a critical source of advocacy, navigating the complexities of our schedule while balancing the demands of future campus expansion through highlevel coordination with state leadership and private entities.
There is an ethical risk without the CAS. The burden of systematic advocacy falls solely on the schools. There is a consequence. We risk a fragmented system where schools are forced to complete compete for resources and influence leading to leadership burnout, diminished morale and a breakdown of communication communication necessary for student achievement. >> Okay, I mean to interrupt, but can you summarize your time is >> Moreover, I specifically oppose the expansion of the SEC authority. The CAS possesses the technical expertise and wheelhouse knowledge required to evaluate principles. By shifting this authority to the SEC, we invite a dour of questionable initiatives that might be driven by personal opinion rather than educational best practices. What is best for students? Thank you. >> Thank you. Anyone else, please? >> Aloha, senators. My name is Adria Maderas, born and raised on in the Kau Pajoa complex area, and I am the proud principal and alumni of Mountain View Elementary School in the Big Island.
I stand by my written testimony and strong opposition to SB 3334. As one of the few testifiers today traveling from a neighbor island, I want to emphasize how critical complex area superintendent are, especially for schools outside of Aahu. For those of us leading rural campuses, distance is not just a geograph a geographic issue. It affects access, responsiveness, and understanding of local realities. Cass leadership provides immediate regionally grounded support when crises arise or complex operational decisions must be made. In fact, my CAS has been my mentor for 20 years throughout my entire career. That level of relationship, proximity, and contextual knowledge cannot be replicated through centralized leadership alone. Eliminating this structure of mentorship will not streamline our system. It will fragment it and weaken support, especially for rural and neighbor island schools. I respectfully urge the committee to oppose passage SB 3334. Mahalo. >> Thank you.
Aloha, Chair Makim, Vice Chair Kadani, members of the board. >> My name is Neil Batad. I'm the principal of Malani Elementary School up in Makailo, um, a school in the Campbell Capo complex as well as a community member in my area. I stand on my written testimony as well as the submitted testimony of collective testimony of our 18 complex principles. Our complex area superintendent is intimately familiar with our 18 schools, the unique needs of our students and communities, and the complex challenges we face in our quest to ensure a quality education for all. This includes the fast and continued growth of the Campbell Capo area. Our complex area superintendent is a direct line of support for our 18 principles and ensures our individual voices and concerns are heard and recognized by upper leadership. SB 3334, which removes the complex area superintendent, does more to harm principles and schools rather than support us.
And Senator Kim, as you said, tomorrow is Valentine's Day. I just want to let you know I love my complex area superintendent. >> Well said. Thank you. Anyone else? >> Uh, Chair Kim, Vice Chair Kadani, Senator Deort, and Senator Hashimuro. As principal of Eva Makai, I'm Corey Barton and part of the compbo complex. We stand on our written testimony in opposition to this bill. To highlight this, this bill disrupts the essential leadership pipeline. It also risks politicizing the selection and decision-making of the principal, compromising the integrity of the principal. The Cass provides high level coordination required to lead dynamic schools and the highest student population in Hawaii. The SEC currently has participation in the principal selection and does provide some evaluation of the principal already.
We stand by our to answer any questions we have regarding our written testimony. Thank you. >> Thank you. Anyone else? >> Hey, good afternoon. Zachary Sheets, principal of Wala High School, and I'm representing Wahoo Complex and we stand on our written testimony in opposition of bill 3334. Thank you. >> Thank you. Anyone else wishing to testify? Okay, with that we're going to go into questions members and I thank all of you for your uh patience and I know it's been a long day for you guys as well. Um so we want to start with um Department of Education. >> Is there a reason why the superintendent is not here? I know he's back from his trip. >> Um I I think he's in flight right now. >> He's in flight. >> Yes. >> Okay. Um, Heidi, why do you think we're here and why do you think this bill has been introduced?
>> Um, I I would ask that you would tell me that we didn't introduce this. >> No, I know, but again, you know, we we just don't introduce measures just because we we dream it up or whatever. We get complaints, we get concerns. We've talked with the superintendent. We've talked with you folks on many occasions and things don't change. And so a lot of times that's what happens. Measures get put together because of that. And so um you know so we're sitting here um concerned and wondering you know that there if there's there's problems obviously in the system that we've made aware made the superintendent aware of uh board of education and changes are not occurring and then we get we see how the trips and and costs and expenses um you know we're not getting reimbursements for Medicaid. There's a lot of issues that is going on with the DOE and so um yeah so again what is the leadership of the DOE doing so that we are not faced with these kinds of measures.
>> Well regarding complaints and um yes Senator Kim you do let um the the state office know when you get complaints. We do um look into each complaint and address it appropriately. a complaint needs to be um investigated often or or may maybe or maybe not there's another side to the story. Um complaints um sometimes are are many times are legitimate and we have to take appropriate action and the department has procedures and processes if a practice a policy um a law has been violated. Um sometimes complaints are of personal interest or of personal wishes. And while that may be very important to the um complaintant um it's it's not something that would require a school to make a change. Somebody might have a a passion for something the school is not doing is or is not doing. That's handled in a different way. Um, but I do ask that as could you any of you do receive complaints, we do have a process that works to do the investigation and either um to address the situation and either um make the required changes because there is validity to the complaint or share the reason why the situation will remain status quo.
>> Okay. It's not so much a specific complaint but a structural structural complaints uh process types complaints the fact that DOE has put on uh two more deputies and the cost for that and how does that actually go down to the schools and to the principles and how does that empower them? Um there's there's a lot of concerns about that. Um and so again and as I told uh we don't we don't want to be here. I don't want to introduce this measure. I don't want to have to sit here and you know I respect all of the principles and all of your point of views. And I've had calls from other principles who have said that they received you know emails. They've received a a template asking them to testify to send in testimony. Some of them felt intimidated by it. Um they fear retaliation um from the cases as well.
Um and so these are concerns um that come to us and I've heard from my colleagues which is why this measure introduced about their particular situation with their particular cases or or um structure that is going in in their areas. So it's it's not just a one one person kind of measure. Um, yes, my name's on the bill, but as the chair of the committee, that's my responsibility as far as representing what are some of the changes and perhaps just the fact that the bill is introduced that we might be able to get some changes. Um, and you know, I know their um testimonies have come based on what is in the bill, but it's a work in progress as to looking at well, if not the Casses, then what, right? What's the replacement? And I think I would hope that that's some of the concerns that would raise here.
Is there a better way of doing this? But I will open up to questions. >> Yeah. So I'm noticing Heidi that your tune is changing a little bit. Um because when we bring issues uh to yourself or to the superintendent, we are met with excuses. So when I had brought to this committee in front of the superintendent the fact that kids are graduating with fourth grade reading level, graduating high school now with fourth grade reading level. When I bring to your attention that the absentee rate in my uh area is completely unacceptable, you meet me with saying it's a community issue. So I I you sound a little bit more like you're willing to collaborate and cooperate where before uh you were more inclined to give us excuses and reasoning asking me to give you the names of the kids where this is a this is a this is a a structural problem.
This is not just a one kid situation. We've talked to you many times about the lack of sped teachers in the classrooms and how they're changing the teachers on the students. The parents don't know. So the kid goes home and they respond negatively. They don't know why. So they come to the school and then they find out that the teacher has been switched. So um I'm happy to see that the principles are willing to come out and thank you all very much uh for coming out. Um, I think that if your department was more able to rally up the principles on uh other very positive bills, um, like the student authored book, if you were to let the principles know on how maybe that might be an option for our students, then maybe that's something that they could also participate in. Um but right now uh it it doesn't seem as though we're getting the answers that we need.
So um seeing the overwhelming support to stand behind the cases, then maybe it's not the casses that's the problem. Maybe it's you. Maybe you're the problem cuz the buck kind of stops with you, right? >> Um it many things do stop with me. Yes. >> Mhm. >> But thank you for sharing your opinion. Um I do ask that when when um to address your um concerns about you know you shared about students who had particular situations. It is very helpful when we do get because then we can follow up on a situation or situations the blanket statements don't help us. Um chronic absenteeism is a definite problem. um research came out as early as this week that just confirms in communities that have high homeless populations, it is it's nationwide is it it is a significant problem and I do believe the state works and the department works very hard in providing many supports to help families who struggle to get their children to school or who have barri barriers that prevent them from getting to school.
And so we continue to deploy those. We can't make the problems go away, but we can ensure that we're doing everything within our means to assist with any barriers that might um be preventing students from coming to school. >> Yeah. I I think I would just like to see more of a strategic plan instead of band-aid fixes from you folks. And these are conversations we've had over and over again. I've had them with Keith. I've had them with you. We've had them on this education committee. So, this is nothing new. We continue to have this conversation and yet we have no strategic plan. >> We do have a state strategic plan. I don't believe I've had a conversation with you on these issues, but I'm more than happy to meet with you to hear your concerns. >> I've had these conversations with Keith and if it hasn't gotten to you and it hasn't uh translated into results, again, uh the changes start from the top and so maybe we need to go above the casses.
Maybe it's you. Maybe it's Keith. Uh, but we have to continue to start trimming off the edges and finding out really where the root cause of where things are coming to a stop. >> So, are they at the CASES or are they at you or are they at the superintendent or maybe it's the board of education? What would you say? >> Well, I I'm more than happy to meet with you to hear what the concerns are so that we can address those. Well, I think I've already stated my concerns, >> right? But details do help in really solving the problem. >> Okay. So, I'm going to ask you the same question that I asked your superintendent. Do you find it to be acceptable that 12th graders are graduating high school with a third and fourth grade reading level? >> Okay. So, what is your plan >> to fix that?
>> Again, can we meet and can you share I I need to know what is the background? Is the student on a diploma track? Was the student on a certificate track? >> Was this one student we talking about? >> Right. And when we have more details, we will absolutely look into that situation. No. Do I want that happening? No. Does the department want that happening? No. Okay. So, if you had a proper communication with your casses who obviously are in close communication with your principles, then you would know where in the problem lies. We will continue to um keep in close communication with the CASSE. Um, I I um try very hard to keep in close communication and I will continue to bring your concerns um to our conversations so that I can be um help address any barriers that might be preventing the department um from doing what we need to do to support all children.